A Place In My Heart
by Confetti Leaves
Summary: They spent their half lives watching things being destroyed, it felt good to know that he was part of creating something so beautiful, so precious.


**AN 1: This is a less-than-stellar birthday gift for my best buddy Arwen Lalaith. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HON! I hope you like it (: **  
**AN 2:Based on_ I Haven't Even Heard You Cry_ by Aaron Lines. Fluff Alert.**

Derek Morgan sat at the back of the jet as it made its way back to Quantico through the darkened skies. He looked out of the windows, through the dark, quietly wishing that it would just move a little faster. The low, humming noise made by the jet was strangely comforting. It was a long, hard case. The absence of his wife only made it harder. It didn't help that he couldn't be there for her when she was so pregnant, she couldn't see her feet. He missed her dearly but took comfort in the fact that at least, she was safe back home and Garcia was there to fuss over her.

He wanted to stay with her and Hotch tried to negotiate with Strauss hoping that she would give this case to another team but the other teams were already on another case. Emily was a trooper, she didn't mind that he would miss an appointment with her doctor and even made him feel better about going away when she needed him the most. Or maybe, he was the one who needed her more.

Oddly, he missed their unborn child as much as he missed Emily. He chuckled quietly, he didn't even know if their baby was a boy or a girl but he already missed that little one so much. He always thought of himself as a tough guy but he never thought that someone so little could bring him down to his knees.

Staring down at the ultrasound photo Emily had given him before he left, it only made him wished that the jet would fly just a little fast, so he could get home to his family sooner. A small smile graced his features as he thought sooner that he'd know, his little baby girl or boy would enter the world and change his life.

A mug set on the table snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up and found the unit chief sitting opposite him. "Miss them?" Hotch asked quietly, sipping his coffee.

"More than anything," Morgan sighed.

"I know," the unit chief nodded understandingly. "It's hard."

"Hard doesn't even begin to cover it."

"It's normal, you know."

"Doesn't make it easier. How do you do it?" He sighed again, his fingers gently caressing the ultrasound photo. "How do you leave the best things that ever happened to you and go out to face the evils of this world?"

Hotch smiled and looked out into the dark skies. "Just keep telling yourself it's for a good cause. It's to make the world a little safer for them. It's worth it but it's hard and it'll only get harder," he admitted.

"I can only imagine." Morgan was silent was several moment, staring at the photo of his unborn baby again. "Does it ever go away?" The unit chief looked at the dark man curiously. "The worrying," he clarified.

"No."

"I figured."

"I asked the pilot, we'll be in Quantico in an hour."

"Thanks," he smiled; then admitted, "I can't wait to get home to them."

"I know what it's like."

The two men settled back into a comfortable silence, quietly thinking of their loved ones waiting for them to come home.

As Morgan looked out the windows again, he began to wonder what else would their baby need. He already painted the nursery a soft green, set up the crib. Emily arranged and rearranged the little items in the nursery a thousand times. Their lives were pretty much about the baby right now.

He chuckled quietly. He never would have thought that there'd be a day where his life revolved around a baby. Frankly, he never thought he'd fall in love, get married and start a family of his own. Then, quietly, he began to wonder, what kind of father would he want to be? Emily always teased him that he'd be a pushover. Things would be even worse if the baby was a girl. He'd be whipped and though he never admitted it, he knew she was probably right.

His life had already changed so much even before the baby arrived, he could only imagine the difference their baby would make after entering the world. He knew his life wouldn't be the same but he didn't mind because he knew that little guy or girl would be worth it. After all, they spent their half lives watching things being destroyed, it felt good to know that he was part of creating something so beautiful, so precious.

When the jet finally landed in Quantico, he had been staring out of the window for almost an hour, thinking of his family. As soon as Hotch told him, he could go home to Emily, he practically raced out of the airport and into a cab.

He knew that Emily would be fast asleep when he got home. Gently, he opened the door to their bedroom and found his wife's sleeping form on the bed. He smiled softly when he found her lying on his side of the bed, she held his pillow as if it was his substitute. Carefully, he climbed into bed, hoping that he wouldn't wake her, unfortunately, she was a light sleeper.

"You're home," she whispered sleepily, turning her body to meet his. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he smiled, kissing her gently. He rested his hand on her baby bump and kissed it. "What did the doctor say?"

"Everything's fine. We're both healthy but she's a little heavy," Emily replied, resting her hand over his, unknowingly giving away the secret.

"She?" he asked excitedly, "We're having a girl?"

"Oh," she groaned, realising what she had done. "I'm sorry, honey. I know we wanted to keep it a secret. But Doctor Warren was on vacation so another doctor took over, she didn't know we wanted to keep it a secret."

"Silly girl," he grinned, "There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm happy we're having a girl. I know we wanted it to be a surprise but I'm happy either way."

"Really?"

"Of course," he assured. "Besides, as long as you and our baby are healthy, I don't really care." He didn't have to look to know that she was smiling. Holding her close, he pressed a kiss on her forehead. They were quiet for a moment, simply enjoying being in each other's arms and the life they created together. "You know, I saw this pink-coloured big girl's bike with rainbow tassels on either side of the handles the other day. I think it'd great for our little princess," he said.

She giggled softly and kissed him. "She wouldn't need that for a long time, you know."

"We could get that for her seventh birthday."

"Let's just worry about that when that day comes, okay?" she asked. "Right now, all she needs are milk and diapers."

"You're right," he smiled, stifling a yawn.

Emily snuggled as close to him as she could with her baby bump and smiled. "How long have you not slept?"

"Almost two days."

His answer didn't surprise her. After all, she knew how being in the BAU was like. She had to stay out of this case because of her pregnancy, or else she would have stayed up for the case too. "Go to sleep," she whispered. "You have take care of yourself. We need you," she added softly, rubbing her swollen belly.

"Don't worry." He rested his hand on the bump and smiled when he felt a kick. He pressed a kiss on the bump and said, "It's okay. Daddy will be with you for a long time. I love you," he whispered, to both Emily and their baby.

"We love you too," Emily whispered.


End file.
